New rules for water waste, but $500 fines unlikely here

CHICO &GT;&GT; New statewide rules are on the way to curb the easiest-to-change water-wasting habits. However, local water agencies aren't hiring water cops to hand out $500 fines.

What the new rules have done is call people's attention to the seriousness of the drought and provided a clear list of really bad water use behavior.

Last week the State Water Resources Control Board voted for statewide emergency drought regulations including:

• Don't allow water to run down your walkway, down the street or onto structures.

• If you wash your car, use a shut-off nozzle so the hose doesn't run while you're scrubbing.

• Don't use a hose to wash off driveways and sidewalks.

• If you have a fountain, make sure it has a system for the water to recirculate.

Also, cities or water companies need to have a plan with triggers in place that include water restrictions.

Local water agencies reached said they have these in place.

The main point of the four rules is to avoid what "no one should be doing," said Paul Gosselin, manager of Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation.

Hopefully people are changing other water habits, including taking shorter showers, brushing their teeth in cold water without the faucet running, and washing full loads of clothes and dishes.

"Having a dirty car should be a badge of honor," Gosselin said, and hopefully people's yards are looking a bit ragged.

Tickets in other areas

Stories about cracking down on water wasters in various areas of the state have made national headlines. Tickets have been written in Sacramento and Santa Cruz and next week the Santa Clara Valley Water District will decide whether to hire 10 new water enforcement employees for the Silicon Valley, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

However, most water agencies already have water conservation plans in place, leaving the $500 fine as an option, not a rule, the Association of California Water Agencies has noted.

Neighbors watch out

Meanwhile, local water providers have received many calls from people who want something done about water wasters in their neighborhoods.

"The phones have been ringing off the hook," said Peter Bonacich, acting district manager at California Water Service in Chico.

Last week he said his office received about 10 calls a day.

"We're sending people out to investigate these things," Bonacich said.

If the resident isn't home, CalWater will leave a note on the door.

When staff talks to customers, most of them didn't realize they were being wasteful. Examples include early-morning automatic sprinklers that hit the sidewalk or a gushing broken sprinkler head.

Overwhelmingly people have been cooperative when they are asked to fix the problem, Bonacich said.

Cal Water has a notification process. If a customer wants to push the issue to the end, the water company can issue a five-day shut-off notice. Yet, this would be after several contacts.

Some situations are more difficult, such as landscaping on a slope and narrow strips of grass in between the street and the sidewalk.

The suggestion here would be to install drip irrigation or water by hand, Bonacich said.

Orland saving water

Orland has city water service rather than Cal Water, which puts city staff in the hot seat for following up on water complaints.

City Manager Peter Carr said Orland's interpretation of state rules is that the $500 fine is an option, if needed.

Carr said there has already been a 15 percent reduction in water use since the first of the year.

"We believe our community will continue to find ways to voluntarily reduce consumption," Carr said. If staff notices flooded gutters and other water waste, they'll check into it, he said.

"We have not had a sudden surge of neighbors identifying neighbors," he said, adding, "I would be giving a different response if we had an increase (in water use."

The city is setting an example by letting city parks turn slightly brown, Carr noted.

Orland has six wells, which are monitored closely. Groundwater levels have dropped 10-15 feet during the drought.

The city also has a system that captures storm runoff, which is sent to a detention basin to percolate to the groundwater. Wastewater also goes to treatment ponds, which helps groundwater in the immediate area, he explained.

Other districts

Paradise Irrigation District's drought management plan includes limiting customers to watering every other day and then only for 15 minutes. Manager George Barber said people are calling to report wasteful water use, and his staff talks to those customers.

Phone calls have also been received at South Feather Water and Power in Oroville, with 7,000 customers, manager Mike Glaze said. His staff will also follow up with education.

Water use is down

Water districts report that local communities are saving water, including 13 percent in Chico since this time last year, 22 percent in Oroville and 16 percent in Willows. Read more details from an Enterprise-Record article last week: http://goo.gl/8e5pzB

Areas that aren't under a water company or city jurisdiction are under the county sheriff's jurisdiction.

Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones said he does not intend to turn deputies into water cops when the new state rules go into effect Aug. 1. However, he says there may be cases of water theft or water disputes as the drought continues.

State Water Board

Kathie Smith, a public information officer for the State Water Resources Control Board, said the $500 fine "is a tool that local agencies can use" and would be treated as an infraction "similar to a parking ticket."

The water suppliers are required to have water plans in place that will cut water use compared to 2013, she said via an email response.

As for the fines, if levied, the money would go to "local coffers," she responded.

Also, the initial rules are temporary for 270 days. The state board has the option of increasing water conservation measures in the future.